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The Prince of Egypt
The Prince of Egypt is a 1998 American animated musical biblical epic semi-historical drama film and the first traditionally animated film produced and released by DreamWorks Pictures. The film is an adaptation of the Book of Exodus and follows Moses' life from being a prince of Egypt to his ultimate destiny to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. The film was directed by Brenda Chapman, Simon Wells, and Steve Hickner. The film features songs written by Stephen Schwartz and a score composed by Hans Zimmer. The voice cast features a number of major Hollywood actors in the speaking roles with professional singers replaced them for songs, except for Michelle Pfeiffer, Ralph Fiennes, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Ofra Haza (who sang her character's number "Deliver Us," in over seventeen languages, including her native Hebrew language was partially used in all dubs for the film's dubbing), who sang their own parts. Jeffrey Katzenberg had frequently suggested an animated adaptation of The Ten Commandments while working for The Walt Disney Company, and he decided to put the idea into production after founding DreamWorks in 1995. To make this inaugural project, DreamWorks Animation employed artists who had worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation and the recently disbanded Amblimation, totaling a crew of 350 people from 34 different nations. The film has a blend of traditional animation and computer-generated imagery, created using software from Toon Boom Animation and Silicon Graphics. The Prince of Egypt was released in theaters on December 18, 1998 and on home video on September 14, 1999. Reviews were positive, with critics praising the animation, music, and voice work. The film went on to gross $218,613,188 worldwide in theaters, making it the most successful non-Disney animated feature at the time until The Simpsons Movie on July 2007. The film's success led to a direct-to-video prequel and the development of a stage adaptation. The song "When You Believe" became a commercially successful single in a pop version performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey and went on to win Best Original Song at the 1999 Academy Awards. Plot In Ancient Egypt, Yocheved, a Hebrew slave, and her children Miriam and Aaron watch as Hebrew babies are taken and ruthlessly killed by Egyptian soldiers, as ordered by Seti I, who fears an increase in the Hebrew population could lead to rebellion. To save her own newborn son, Yocheved places him in a basket and sets it afloat on the Nile. Miriam follows the basket to the Pharaoh's palace and witnesses her baby brother adopted by Queen Tuya. Twenty years later, Moses and his foster brother, Rameses, are scolded by their father for accidentally destroying a temple during one of their youthful misadventures, though Moses tries to take the blame and says that Rameses wants their father's approval. That evening at a palace banquet, Seti, deciding to give Rameses this opportunity, names him Prince regent and gives him authority over Egypt's temples. As a tribute, the high priests, Hotep and Huy offer him the captive Tzipporah, and Rameses gives her to Moses. Moses debunks Tzipporah, and Rameses appoints him Royal Chief Architect with a ring. Later that night, Moses helps Tzipporah escape from the palace and is reunited with Miriam and Aaron. Despite Aaron's attempts to protect her, Miriam tries to tell Moses about his past, but he refuses to listen to her and returns to the palace. The truth about his past is later confirmed in a nightmare, and finally by Seti himself. The next day, Moses accidentally pushes an Egyptian guard off the scaffolding of the temple, while trying to stop him from whipping a Hebrew slave, and the guard falls to his death. Ashamed and confused, Moses flees into the desert in exile, despite Rameses' pleas to stay. After Moses defends Tzipporah's younger sisters from bandits, he is welcomed into the Midianite tribe by their father Jethro, the High Priest of Midian. After assimilating this new culture, Moses becomes a shepherd and marries Tzipporah. While chasing a stray lamb, Moses discovers a burning bush through which God instructs him to guide the Hebrew slaves to their promised land and bestows Moses' shepherding staff with his power. Moses and Tzipporah return to Egypt, where Moses is happily greeted by his brother Rameses, who is now Pharaoh. When Moses requests the Hebrews' release and changes his staff into an Egyptian cobra, to demonstrate his alliance with God. Hotep and Huy boastfully re-create this transformation, only to have their snakes eaten by Moses' snake. Rather than being persuaded, Rameses is hardened and doubles the Hebrews' workload. Moses and Tzipporah thereafter live with Miriam, who convinces Aaron and the other Hebrews to trust him. Later, Moses inflicts the plague of blood upon the Nile which makes Rameses unconvinced. Moses then inflicts the next eight plagues of Egypt, but Rameses refuses to relent, and Moses prepares the Hebrews for the tenth and final plague. The Hebrews are instructed to paint lamb's blood on their door posts as the final plague will not enter. That night, the final plague kills all the firstborn children of Egypt, including Rameses' own son, while sparing those of the Hebrews. The next morning, Rameses, as he grieves for his son, gives Moses permission to free the Hebrews. The Hebrews leave Egypt, led by Moses, Miriam, Aaron, and Tzipporah. At the Red Sea, they discover that Rameses is closely pursuing them with his army. Upon their arrival, Moses uses his staff to part the sea while a pillar of fire blocks the army's way. The Hebrews cross on the open sea bottom; when the pillar of fire disappears and the army gives chase, but the water closes over the Egyptian soldiers, sparing Rameses alone who screams Moses' name in fury. Moses leads the Hebrews to Mount Sinai, where he returns after receiving the Ten Commandments from God. 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